Salve Regina University Digital Commons @ Salve Regina

BIO 140 Arboretum Project Student Work on Display

12-2017

Quercus cerris (Turkey Oak) ID# Unknown

Erin E. Stangel Salve Regina University, [email protected]

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Part of the Environmental Monitoring Commons

Recommended Citation Stangel, Erin E., "Quercus cerris (Turkey Oak) ID# Unknown" (2017). BIO 140 Arboretum Project. 4. https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/bio140_arboretum/4

This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Work on Display at Digital Commons @ Salve Regina. It has been accepted for inclusion in BIO 140 Arboretum Project by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Salve Regina. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Arboretum Project: Turkey Oak ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ By: Erin Stangel ​ ​ ​ ​

Common Name: Turkey Oak ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Scientific Name: Quercus cerris ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ Tree Number: ​ ​ Location: near McKillop Library ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Height: 41.49 meters ​ ​​ ​ ​ DBH: 4.25 meters ​ ​​ ​ ​ Radius of crown: 14.3 meters ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​ ​ Condition: Good ​ ​​ Age Class: Mature ​ ​ ​ ​​ Date of Observation: November 27, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​​ ​ ​ ​ 2017

Observation 1: September 18th, 2017 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Third week of classes at Salve. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Temperature is almost 80 degrees fahrenheit. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Time is about 4:00 pm. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The Turkey Oak is huge, and it has a very ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ distinct burl at the base of its trunk, most ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ likely do to an injury when it was young. The ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ tree appears to be extremely healthy and ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ thriving. The leaves are the same as most ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ oaks: long and lobed with smooth tips, about ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 12 cm in length (“Turkish Oak | Quercus ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Cerris”). The color of the leaves are dark ​ ​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ green and the branches are a hard to observe ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ because the tree is so tall. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The oak is surrounded by many trees ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ including other Turkey Oaks and it creates a ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ lot of shade for the surrounding area. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ It is too early in the season for any leaves to ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ fall.

Observation 2: September 28, 2017 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Fourth week of classes at Salve. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The temperature is about 75 degrees ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ fahrenheit. Time is about 4:00 pm. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The Turkey oak is about the same as the last ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ observation. The temperature has not ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ fluctuated much but there was a lot of rain ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ when around the 20th/21st when Jose hit ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Rhode Island. Many leaves were lost ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ prematurely due to the high wind speeds and ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ hard rainfall. ​ ​ The Turkey Oak seeds are acorns and will ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ come in around September. The acorns can be ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ easily identified by their bristly caps (“Quercus ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Cerris (European Turkey Oak): Go Botany”). ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

Observation 3: October 8, 2017 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Sixth week of classes at Salve. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The temperature has remained at about 70 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ degrees fahrenheit. ​ ​ There has not been a transition of color in the ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ leaves yet. The tree appears the same as in the ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ last few entries. ​ ​ ​ ​

(“Quercus Cerris - Turkey Oak (Fagaceae ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Images)”) Observation 4: October 28, 2017 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Eighth week of classes at Salve. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The temperature has dropped to about 50 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ degrees fahrenheit. ​ ​ The leaves have officially transitioned into ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ fall colors. The leaf colors differ between ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ browns and oranges. ​ ​ ​ ​

(“Quercus Cerris (European Turkey Oak): Go ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Botany”) Observation 5: November 8, 2017 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Tenth week of classes at Salve. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The temperature has been low around 30 and ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 40 degrees fahrenheit. ​ ​ ​ ​ All of the surrounding trees have also lost ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ their leaves and the Turkey Oak will not ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ flower until May. The flowers of the Turkey ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Oak are catkins and are pollinated by the wind ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (“Turkey Oak (Quercus Cerris) - Woodland ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Trust”).

Observation 6: November 28, 2017 ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Thirteenth week of classes at Salve. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Temperature has fluctuated this week from ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ low 30s to about 60 degrees fahrenheit. It has ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ rained a lot recently but most days have had ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ sun. Time is about 12 pm. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ All of the leaves as stated in the previous ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ entry have either fallen off of the Turkey Oak ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ or have died and remain the on the branches. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

Summary narrative: ​ ​ The Turkey Oak is a non native species to Rhode Island, most commonly found in parts of ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Europe and Asia. Similar to most deciduous trees, the Turkey Oak’s leaves change color in the ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ late fall and fall from the branches throughout the winter. The Turkey Oak has long, smooth ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ lobed leaves and the fruits of the Turkey Oak are acorns and the flowers are catkins (“Turkey ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Oak (Quercus Cerris) - Woodland Trust”). This specific Turkey Oak has done well on the ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Salve Regina campus it is about 41 meters in height, the crown radius is about 14.3 meters, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ and according to the Salve arboretum inventory the tree is mature and in good condition ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (Bartlett Tree Experts). ​ ​ ​ ​

References:

“Turkey Oak (Quercus Cerris) - Woodland Trust.” Accessed December 3, 2017. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/commo n-non-native-trees/turkey-oak/. ​

“Quercus Cerris (European Turkey Oak): Go Botany.” Accessed December 3, 2017. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ https://gobotany.newenglandwild.org/species/quercus/cerris/. ​

Bartlett Tree Experts. “Salve Regina University Tree Inventory and Management Plan 2012.” ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Archives Books, January 1, 2012. http://digitalcommons.salve.edu/archives_books/2. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​​ ​

“Turkish Oak | Quercus Cerris.” Accessed December 4, 2017. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ http://www.tree-guide.com/turkish-oak. ​

“Quercus Cerris - Turkey Oak (Fagaceae Images).” Accessed December 4, 2017. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ http://www.aphotoflora.com/af_quercus_cerris_turkey_oak.html. ​